Naptown Gets Crafty: Pacers Nab Kam Jones and Taelon Peter in NBA Draft

The Indiana Pacers added two high-IQ guards to the stable on Thursday night, selecting Marquette’s Kam Jones at No. 38 and Liberty’s Taelon Peter at No. 54 in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Jones, a 6-foot-5 senior, brings combo guard versatility and strong defensive instincts to Indy. After averaging 19.2 points and 5.9 assists per game as a senior, he enters the league with a college resume full of polish and promise. While his three-point shooting dipped this past season (31.1%), he remains a crafty scorer who can facilitate offense or play off the ball when Haliburton returns.

Taelon Peter, meanwhile, made history for Liberty, becoming the highest draft pick in program history. The 6-foot-4 Arkansas native was named CUSA Sixth Player of the Year, leading his team in scoring (13.7 ppg) while coming off the bench in all but two games. Peter was lights out from beyond the arc, hitting 45.3% of his threes and setting a new school record. With 20-point games, buzzer-beaters, and high-efficiency shooting to his name, Peter could carve out a bench spark plug role.

With Haliburton recovering, McConnell and Nembhard steady, and Bennedict Mathurin continuing to develop, the Pacers added depth and potential to their backcourt. Both draftees bring energy, scoring, and basketball smarts to the Circle City.